Collapsible inflating device



July 15, 1947. v.'|-1. HURT 2,423,890

COLLAPSIBLE INFLATING DEVICE Filed Nov. 8, 1945 -2 Sheets-Shoat l MFA 1'0 146701? 66 HVAT fium A4 .AZYURNEY 7 July 15 1947. v. HURT I 2,4

COLLAFSIBLE INFLATING DEVICE Filed Nov. 8, 1945 I 2 Sheets-Shem 1-3 j/vzzzmmyfi Patented July 15, 1947 ooLLAPsmLE INFLATING DEVICE Victor H. Hurt, Cranston, R. 1., assignor to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 8, 1945, Serial No. 627,423

3 Qlaims.

The present invention relates to a'collapsible bag-like inflating device which is adapted to force air rapidly into the articles to be inflated, and which inflating device when not in use can be rolled up into a compact package.

One feature of the collapsiblebag-likeinflat ing device of the present invention resides in its open end construction whereby such end' may be opened wide to extend the sides of the bag and allow a large amount of air to enter the bag, whereupon this endmay be quickly closed and rolled upon the bag to squeeze the air trapped in the bag into the receptacle to be inflated.

Another feature of. the present invention resides in a :bag spreadefthat'is secured in the bag near the opposite endthereof so as to facilitate spreading the bag in a wide open condition when it isto-be filled with air.

The bag-like inflating device of the present in-, vention may be constructedto be removably secured to the receptacle to be inflated and disengaged therefrom when the inflating operation is completed, or it. may be permanently secured to the receptacle to be inflated. In either case this bag-like device may be rolled up into a compact package when not in use.

The above and other features of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an inflated water toy having the bag-like inflating device of the present invention removably secured thereto.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the inflating device of Fig. 1 removed from the toy and having its open end fully extended so that the bag will an quickly with air.

Fig. 3 is a perspective edge view of an end portion of the bag. I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a pneumatic mattress having a bag-like inflating device somewhat,

similar to that shown in Fig. 2 permanently secured to one end of the mattress; and I Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 except that the bag is shown as rolled up into a small space.

The bag-like inflating device of the present invention may be employed to inflate large water toys, large balls, air mattresses and other collapsible low pressure pneumatic articles.

This inflating device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing is adapted'to be removably secured to the receptacle to be inflated and is therefore provided with a tube at one end adapted to be removably secured to such receptacle; and the v inflating device as. shown in Figs. 4-and 5 of the drawing is permanently secured tothe pneumatic article to be inflated'and does not employ the tube connection means shown-in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring-first to Figs. 1 and 2 01? the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1a largepneumatic water toy such as-a toy horse [0. This toy" is provided at any convenient point, such as near the front end thereof, with a threaded socket I I leading to the interior of the body I0 and having secured to its inner end a one-way valve such asthe flutter valve l2. The socket II is adapted to receive a threaded tube l3 attached to one end of the collap-sible bag-like'inflating device H as shown in Fig. 2. The arrangement is such thattheinflating bag M can be. easily and quickly attached tothe pneumatic'receptacle I0, when the latter is to receptacle.

be inflated, by screwing the tube l3 into the socket H.

Since the primary purpose of the present invention is to provide means whereby large low pressure pneumatic devices may be easily and quickly inflated, the inflating bag H is so constructed that it can be easily and quickly filled with air and thenv closed to trap; this air in the bag so that it may be forced into the pneumatic This is accomplished by providing the bag ll'at its end which is-remote from the tube l3 with a wide open end that extendsentirely across the bag, and in order to'facilitate closing this end of the bag, such open end has extending along the opposite side walls thereof adjacent the opening the flexible'stifiening strips 15 which are adapted to be brought together to form a bar upon which thisend portion of the bag may be rolled. It will be apparent from Fig. 1 that after these strips l5 are brought together they will form a bar extending throughout the ing strips l should extend entirely across the width of the bag as shown and should be sufllciently flexible to allow this end of the bag to be forced wide open as shown in Fig. 2 so that air may rush into the bag to iii] the same. As soon as the bag is full the strips l5 may be brought together into parallel contacting relation with each other to close the bag and form a bar upon which this end of the bag may be rolled. This rolling action tends to shift one strip I5 laterally relative to the other, and to prevent this one of the strips i5 is preferably provided with the folded over portion I! that is best shown in Fig. 3 and which forms a pocket that receives the other. strip I 5 and helps to keep this end oi the bag closed. It is difficult to prevent the creased side walls of the bag from leaking adjacent the ends opened as shown in Fig. 2 to receive a large quantity of air it is important to provide inside of the bag near the seam 20 a spreader 2| which may consist of a hollow rectangular frame convenientlyformed of spring wire, or of a partition havin sa large ,centralopening so that the bag will normally remain extended adjacent its com" I cal end l9-as shown in Fig. 2.

w In some cases, as above stated, the bag-like inflating device of-the present invention may be permanently secured to the pneumatic device to be inflated. Such a construction is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 wherein there is illustrated a pneumatic mattress 22 having the longitudinally ex- "tended inflated cel1s 23, and one end of this mat- ;-tress.has permanently secured thereto thebaglike inflating device 24 which may be similar to the bag-like device 14, except that in the construction of Figs. 4 and 5 the conical end IS of the bag is omitted as this end of the bag is per- It will be seen from the foregoing that the collapsible bag-like inflating device of the present invention can be used to inflate quickly large low pressure pneumatic devices, and when not in use can be rolled up into a small compact package. Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 1. An inflating device for inflating a collapsible receptacle with air, comprising a bag that is rectangular in cross section and having one end permanently attached to the receptacle to be inflated and a wide rectangular opening at its other end through which air may enter quickly to fill the bag, the open end havingflexible stiffening strips extending along the long side walls of the bag and adapted when brought together to form a bar upon which this end portion of the bag may be rolled to close the bag and squeeze the air therein into the receptacle, and means for holding one strip from shifting relative to the other during such rolling action.

manently securedfin a widely spread condition to one .end oi. the mattress by the seam 25.' By

securing an, end or the'bag 24 directly to the 3 mattress 22 so thatthisend is retainediin a widely spreadfcondition, it'is unnecessary to provide the bag shown in Figs. iand 5 with a spreader similar to .the spreader 2| shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Thebag 24. operates thesame as the bag M to force air rapidly into the pneumatic receptacle to be inflated. That.is.'aiter the bag has been opened. wide by separatingthe strips 15 to flll the bag with air, this end may be closed and rolled upon itself as indicated by 28 so as to force air into the receptacle to be inflated as the rolling operation is continued. Air is forced from the bag 24 into the mattress through a one-way 2. An inflating device for inflating a receptacle with air, comprising a bag that is rectangular in cross section and having one end permanently attached to the receptacle to be inflated and a wide rectangular opening at its other end through which air may enter to fill the bag quickly, the open end portion of theibag having opposite flat seams extending lengthwise of the bag and flexible stifi'ening strips extending along the opposite side walls of the bag from one seamto the other and adapted when brought together to form a bar upon which this end portion of the bag may be rolled to close the bag and squeeze. the air therein into the receptacle.

3. An inflatingdevice for inflatinga collapsible receptacle with air, comprising a bag that is rectangular in cross section and having one end permanently secured to the receptacle in awidely spread condition and having a wide opening at its other end through which air may enter to fill the bag when it is held with its side walls spaced widely apart, flexible stiffening strips extending along the opposite side walls of the bag atits open end and adapted when brought together to form a bar upon which this end portion of the bag may be rolled to close the bag and squeeze the air therein into the receptacle.

VICTOR H. HURT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

